Shoe



Dec. 17, 1929. A E, BLOCK l 1,739,539

SHOE

Filed Ja'n. 8, 1926 ALMA/voc@ 5. Loc/ .ATTORNEX Patented Dec. 17, 19,29

UNITED STATES ALEXANDER E. BLOCK, STILOUIS, MISSOURI snor:

Application led January 8,1926. Serial- No. 78,944,

' hence produce a heel-receiving surface which is not cupped or concaved beneath the heel bone. I employ to that end, in combination with the usual shoe materials, a leveling element which is cheap, light and durable, the building of which in place does not interfere with the usual methods of manufacturing shoes, or the employment of the usual lasts and machines, and the use of which adds no appreciable element of cost tothe completed shoe. rlhe shoe embodying my invention may have a flexibleor reinforced shank.

Drawings In the drawings- Fig. 1 is abottom plan view of the heel portion of a shoe embodying my invention, showing the leveling element in place, the outer sole being removed.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical mid-sec tional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 as contained in the-completed shoe, taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical view in section of the completed shoe, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Description The shoe illustrated has a counter 4 which with its outer covering 5 and lining 6 constitutes what are commonly termed in the art upper materials, and their lower edges, at the level of the lower face of the inner sole 6a are drawn inwardly as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and so secured as to form a cavity 7 It is above this cavity that the pressure of the wearers heel bone rests, and into which the inner sole 6a is usually cupped. In this cavity 7"I provide the leveling element A contoured as shown in the drawings, its bote tom face being shown in Fig. 1, andits longitudinal construction in Fig. 2, While its skived lateral wings are shown in Fig. 3.

lVh'en the shoe is completed this leveling element A is mounted withV its upper face con` tacting with the lower face of the inner sole 6a its lower face resting upon t-he vupper face of therouter sole 8 while at the sides the indrawn edges of the upper materials arein placebetween the skived lateral wings 12.-.-12 of the leveling element /A' and the lower face of the inner sole 6a. Thefront and rear p edges ofthe element A rest as shown in Fig. 2, the rear edge in juxtaposition to thead'- jacentV edge of the upper materials and the front edge of the element A in substantial alinement with the breast 9 of the heel 10, and with the rear edges of the Welt l111. In shoes of the type which terminates the outer sole at the breast of the heel the eleitment A will rest upon the top lift of the eel.

The leveling element A is arranged to be secured in place by nails 13 or other desired fastening means; should said element A be made of nail-resisting material such as metal, it will preferably have perforations to permit the passage of said nails. Said leveling element A may be made of any desired material capable of being contoured to perform the desired function; in practice I have used leather for this purpose.

The illustrated contour of the element A and the co-acting shoe materials may be altered in various ways without departing from my invention as defined in the claim of this patent.

While in standard shoe manufacture, there is an appreciable amount of cupping of the heel in the center due to the space between the inner edges of the upper materials,the cupping is not altogether confined to that portion as the last is convex and the counter is much thicker at the side and bottom where it rounds the last (it must thicker at this point in order to strengthen it), from which point it tapers inwardly to a thin edge. The

lll

cavity formed between the indrawn edges of the upper materials varies in di'erent shoes, the inner edges of the lining, counter, and upper leather terminating at various points in relation to each other. The combination of the convex last and the thickened portion of the counter makes the heel higher around the outer edges of the heel seat than it is at the point where the upper materials lo terminate. The welt also forms a hump at the forward portion of the heel of a welt shoe.

The wings 12-12 being thinner than the body of the leveling element A, and being 5, beveled outwardly as shown, I produce a device that insures a substantially flat heel receiving surface not only at the central area filled by the thick'body of the leveling element A, but extend that flat surface to the outer portion of the heel seat.

I claim:

The improvement in shoes comprising a shoe having indrawn edges of upper materials between the inner and .outer soles ar'- ranged to form a cavity between said soles; and a leveling element arranged to insure a substantially fiat heel-receiving surface at the mouth of said cavity, said leveling element having lateral wings extending beyond V the inner edges of said cavity.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

Y l ALEXANDER E. BLOCK. 

